Prevent Shoplifting As Part Of A Strategy To Fill Shelves And Attract Shoppers Part 1

Brick and mortar stores are closing up at alarming rates and part of the issue is losses incurred due to failures to prevent shoplifting and return fraud. I heard a radio news report just the other day reporting that Sears would be closing another 100 Sears and K-Mart stores in the coming months. There are people who will say that the closing of traditional stores is due to the changing buying habits of customers. People can order something simply by tapping their smartphone or clicking a few keyboard strokes and there you go your purchase is on the way, to you or to the person you want it sent to. Some people say that retailers aren’t adjusting their business models to keep up with changing times. I have my own thoughts on the situation. I shop a bit online but not nearly to the extent others do. I may purchase dvd’s (yeah, I know why do it when you can stream it? THAT is part of my pet peeves with today’s generation. I have a hard copy, I can watch when I want to. Your choices may not always be readily available on a streaming service) I have bought cd’s and I have made a book purchase or two. HOWEVER, when it comes to clothing, furniture and even most technology I prefer to buy in a store. I hear it now, the groans and moans of some readers who just think I am so passé and old fashioned. I’m just not hip, is it because my flip phone won’t allow me the ‘convenience’ of online shopping? Brick and mortar store owners, there is some responsibility on your part too to adapt. You HAVE to get customers to want to shop in your stores and you can’t afford to have thieves shoplifting and stealing profits. Bill Bregar and Loss Prevention Systems Inc. can help you with methods to prevent shoplifting including the use retail anti-theft devices on merchandise.
     

If you own a store and are not using retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting I am going to explain what you are missing out on. Retail anti-theft devices are designed to use electronic article surveillance technology to sound an alarm if someone tries to remove a tagged device from a store. Relying on radio waves transmitted by anti-theft devices stores set up pedestals near the building entrances and exits that can pick up these radio waves. Tagged merchandise carried close to the pedestals initiates an alarm that blares across a store. Lights also flash and attract attention to the pedestals as a security tagged item is carried too close. Alarms sounding and lights flashing are not exactly the ideal situation for shoplifters and the majority of the time merchandise is dropped at the doors or a responding employee conducts a receipt check and recovers the merchandise. When products are not stolen they are available for customers to buy and that increases sales not to mention reduces shortage. The truth of the matter is a customer comes to a store to find something to purchase and bare shelves is a sure way to drive them away. Loss Prevention Systems Inc. has the retail anti-theft products you need to keep merchandise from being stolen and ready to sell.
     

If you aren’t convinced that a lack of merchandise will lead to lost customers I would remind readers to look at some of the traditional big name stores that have struggled. In a Wall Street Journal article, “Retailers Rethink Inventory Strategies” by Paul Ziobro, June 27, 2016, the story discusses how many retailers are trying to reduce on hand inventory to increase profit but as the author writes, “But Destocking isn’t without risk. Bare shelves are a major annoyance to shoppers who take the time to go into stores to shop.” Quoting Rodney Sides, Vice Chairman of the retail practice at Deloitte LLP, “If I hold too much inventory out of the stores, then I look like I’m out of business.” Too little inventory can be the result of planned reductions but it can also be the result of theft and thus it is necessary to take appropriate steps to prevent shoplifting.
     

Use retail anti-theft devices and keep shelves full for customers. While you are at it is there anything else you can do to bring in customers? Are you trying to reach out to the online shoppers as well as the walk-in customers like me? How do you keep things fresh and new? In part 2, I will discuss some things that can help in your efforts to attract more customers and increase sales while deterring shoplifters in the process.

Retail anti-theft devices are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.